COPELAND residents are being reminded that recycling banks and boxes must only be used for the recyclable materials specified.
A sharps box was put into the plastics bank at the council’s Beck Green site, in Egremont. This kind of plastic is not recyclable and carries the risk of needles being accidentally left inside, causing a risk to staff.
The council’s recycling officer, Jan Boniface, said: “Our recycling processor spotted this and luckily it was removed. Sometimes when the wrong materials are put in, it can mean the entire load is rejected. In that case we not only lose the income from the materials, but we have to pay landfill tax on the load and transport it to a different waste centre.”
For more information about the correct disposal of sharps boxes, contact the council on 01946 598300 or email info@copeland.gov.uk. Visit www.copeland.gov.uk to see details of what can and can’t be recycled.
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